• DocumentCode
    3211608
  • Title

    A new breakdown failure mechanism in HfO2 gate dielectric

  • Author

    Ranjan, R. ; Pey, K.L. ; Tang, L.J. ; Tung, C.H. ; Groeseneken, G. ; Radhakrishnan, M.K. ; Kaczer, B. ; Degraeve, R. ; De Gendt, S.

  • Author_Institution
    Sch. of EEE, Nanyang Technol. Univ., Singapore, Singapore
  • fYear
    2004
  • fDate
    25-29 April 2004
  • Firstpage
    347
  • Lastpage
    352
  • Abstract
    The breakdown failure mechanism in HfO2 high-k gate dielectrics under constant voltage stress in inversion and accumulation mode is physically analyzed with the aid of high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the breakdown phenomenon in HfO2 gate dielectrics is different from that of ultrathin SiOxNy and Si3N4 gate dielectrics. Dielectric-breakdown-induced epitaxy, which is the failure defect responsible for breakdown in SiOxNy and Si3N4, has also been observed in HfO2 but in a slightly different morphology. The microstructural damages observed in the breakdown of HfO2 gate dielectrics are probably related to HfSix and HfSiOx formation during BD event.
  • Keywords
    CMOS integrated circuits; dielectric thin films; electric breakdown; hafnium compounds; integrated circuit reliability; permittivity; transmission electron microscopy; HfO2; HfO2 gate dielectric; HfSix; HfSiOx; accumulation mode; breakdown failure mechanism; breakdown phenomenon; constant Voltage stress; dielectric-breakdown-induced epitaxy; failure defect; high resolution transmission electron microscopy; inversion mode; Biomembranes; Dielectric breakdown; Dielectric substrates; Electric breakdown; Failure analysis; Hafnium oxide; Leakage current; MOSFET circuits; Stress; Voltage;
  • fLanguage
    English
  • Publisher
    ieee
  • Conference_Titel
    Reliability Physics Symposium Proceedings, 2004. 42nd Annual. 2004 IEEE International
  • Print_ISBN
    0-7803-8315-X
  • Type

    conf

  • DOI
    10.1109/RELPHY.2004.1315350
  • Filename
    1315350